Mold for concrete pathways



' June If), 1942. T. w. FLORY MOLD FOR CONCRETE PATHWAYS Filed Dec. 31, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l /N VENTOR moms MASS FL 0/? Y BY 22 Q 2 A froR vEYs June 16, 1942.- T. FLORY 2,286,612

MOLD FOR CONCRETE PATHWAYS Filed Dec. :51, 1940 4 Sheets-sheaf, 2

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'r. w. FLORY MOLD FOR CONCRETE PATHWAYS 4- Sheets-Shee t 5 Filed Dec. 31, 1940 2 lA/VENTOR THOMAS A/Ass FLORY H. ATTORNEY$ June 16, 1942. T. w. FLORY MOLD FOR CONCRETE P ATHWAYS Filed Dec. 13, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR MASS/70R) TH MAS ATTORNEYS Patented June 16, 1942 OFFICE MOLD FOR CONCRETE PATHWAYS Thomas Wass Flcry,l)unstable, England Application December 31, 1940, Serial No. 372,623 In Great Britain July 25, 1939 8 Claims.

This invention relates to the laying of concrete and similar pathways and the like in situ and has for its object improved meansfor enabling the correct width line and level readily to be maintained, as the work proceeds, as well 7 as generally to facilitate the operation.

In accordance with this invention, primary and secondary spacing members, partition strips separate from said spacing members, and channel-section side members are provided, said spacing members being adapted to support and prevent distortion of said partition strips, and said channel-section side members, when laid on their sides on the ground with their webs vertical and facing towards one another and in conjunction with said partition strips constitute the sides of a mould in which the concrete or the like is to be cast and each of these spacing members is disposed on the upper surfaces of said' channel-section side members and is provided at one end, or, in some cases, at each end, with a double cam device adapted to act on the edge and on the inner face of one of the flanges of a channel-section side member so that a shoulder on said spacing member may be drawn into close contact with the web of said channel-section side member and so that said spacing member itself may be brought to a predetermined level and position with respect to the channelsection side members with which it is engaged and to secure the locking together of said channel-section side members and the backing up of the separate partition strips to form a rigid frame-like mould entirely free from distortion.

The spacing members are of two patterns, the one, the primary spacing member, arranged for use below, the secondary spacing member, and the other arranged for use above the level of the surface of the path to be laid and preferably a cam device is provided at each end of a spacing member.

For the laying of curved pathways the channel section members may be pro-formed according to requirements, but, preferably, such members are constituted by a series of articulated portions so that they may be bent ad hoc when necessity arises. Each of these articulated portions is devoid of all external projections and (with the exception of the terminal portions) is arcuate in plan at its ends, the one end being convex and the other end concave, and their edges may be bevelled in a complementary manner to preserve alignment; preferably both the vertical and horizontal edges of said portions are bevelled. These portions are, in the main, of

channel-section, corresponding with the crosssectional configuration of the straight members, but they are also formed, within the channelsection, each with an apertured part or guide to enable them to be threaded on to a strip of spring steel, the general plane of which is parallel with that of the web of the channel-section and which is put under tension, e. g. by being anchored to the articulated portion at one end of the member and connected by an adjustin screw with the articulated portion at the other end of the member. In some cases the strip of spring steel may be stiffened by a similar strip or strips laid therealcngside but not anchored as above set forth.

It is to be observed that when such an articulated side member is bent that Wall of the apertured part or guide which is at the outside of the curve is tangential to the spring (single or laminated), hence, the articulated portions follow said curve as a series of short tangents and the resultant steps at the ends of said portions are equal and so small as to be negligible. The arrangement of the articulated members l is such that whilst the required flexibility is provided in the lateral direction there is rigidity in the vertical direction. Generally speaking, it is not necessary to provide, for flexibility in the vertical direction as inequalities should be removed in the preparation of the site and changes of gradient would be so slight as to be negligible.

The channel-section members, whether straight, curved or articulated are made in convenient lengths and in order that two such members may be properly aligned and secured end to end, each may have secured at its one end a fish plate adapted to fit closely within the channelsection and at the other end a clamping device such as a cam pivotal on an axis parallel with the web of the channel-section member against which web it may force the fish plate projecting from the end of the next adjacent member. By these means may be assured, the correct alignment of the sides of the pathway to be laid, whether it be straight or curved.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein'Figure 1 is a plan View of parts arranged to constitute a mould for the laying of an area of a concrete pathway; Figure 2 is a similar View showing an area of the' ath laid and spacing members arranged preparatory to the laying of the adjacent area: Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged sections on the lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, Figure 1; Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the cam device used at the ends of the spacing members; Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged sections on the lines 6-45 and respectively, Figure 2; Figure 8 is a section as on the line 66, Figure 2, when a partition strip is to be removed from laid concrete; Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation showing how the adjacent ends of channel section members are united; Figure 1.0 is a sectional plan on the line ||l|3, Figure 9; Figure 11 is a plan corresponding with Figure but showing a modification; Figure 12 is a plan, on the same scale as Figures 1 and 2 of a flexible channel section member for use when laying curved pathways; Figure 13 is a side elevation thereof, on an enlarged scale, as seen from the outside; and Figures 14 and 15 are sections on the lines l-|4 and l5-I5, respectively, Figure 13.

As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, a mould for the laying of an area of a path consists of channel-section side members 2|, 2| which are disposed with their webs vertical and facing towards one another and are located in parallel relationship by means of transversely arranged primary spacing members 22, 22, whilst partition strips 23, 23 are separated from and engage the side members 2|, 2| and are supported, from the sides remote from the area where the concrete is to be laid, by the primary spacing members 22, 22. Each side member 2| is notched, as at 24 (Figures 1 and 4), at intervals along its length, to receive a hooked end 25 of a partition strip 23. Each primary spacing member 22 is of channel section with its web uppermost and secured to the upper side of said web is a clamp having a handle 26 by means of which may be turned a double cam device shown in greater detail in Figure 5. The handle 26 is mounted on a spindle 2! which has its bearing in the body 23 of the clamp, and at the lower end of the spindle 21 is a double cam, a peripheral cam 29 which is adapted to act on the edge of the upper flange of a side member 2|, whilst a face cam 33 is adapted to act on the inner face of said flange (see Figure 4). A spring washer 3| is disposed around the spindle 2'! and bears against the body 28 and against a shoulder presented by the transverse face of the cam 29. As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 the body 28 has a horizontally extending portion 32 which rests on the top of a side member 2| and under which is secured the web of a primary spacing member 22 so that said web is supported with its upper surface level with the upper surface of the side member 2|, the cam 30 serving to draw down the clamp against the upper surface of the side member 2|, whilst the cam 29 draws the end of the spacing member 22 against the vertical web of said side member.

For use, the channel-section side members 2| 2| are laid on suitably prepared ground and correctly located with respect to one another by means of the primary spacing members 22, 22 after which the area thus enclosed may be sub-divided by partition strips 23, laid transversely and supported by the side members 2|, 2| with notches 24 in which they engage by means of hooks, projecting pins or the like. As shown in Figure 1 the partition strips 23, 23 at the opposite ends of an area in which concrete is to be laid are supported, each so as to be normal to the surface of the pathway to be laid, by placing in juxtaposition thereto a spacing member 22 outside the partition strip, that is to say, on the side thereof remote from'the area where clamping means of the primary spacing members 22, 22 may be operated in either direction, their cams 29, 30 should be symmetrical about a radius corresponding with a peak of the cam. When the cams 29, 30 are actuated to clamp the spacing members 22, 22 to the channel-section side members 2|, 2|, a slight rolling action ensues where the cams bear on the flanges of the channel-section side members 2|, 2| thus causing said primary spacing members 22, 22 to fit closely against the adjacent partition strips 23, 23. If desired, longitudinally arranged shallow sub-divisional partition strips may be interengaged with the transverse partition strips 23 to produce grooves in the surface of the concrete.

When concrete has been laid in the area between two primary spacing members 22, 22 and partition strips 23, 23, Figure l and the succeeding area is to be laid, a secondary spacing member 33 (Figures 6 and 7) is located on the side members 2|, 2| over the concrete already laid so as to support the transverse partition strip 23 the concrete is to be laid. In order that the at the beginning of the second area above the level of the surface of the laid area and the spacing member 22 adjacent to said partition strip is removed, see Figure 2, and is used to support the transverse partition strip 23 at the other end of said second area on the outside and below the level of the surface to be laid in said second area.

In order that the transverse partition strips 23 may be removed from the cast concrete without breaking away the surface thereof, the secondary spacing members 33 are used, see Figures 6, 7 and 8, which are somewhat similar to the primary spacing members 22, and on which the means by which they may be secured to the channel-section side members 2| are so arranged that their lower surfaces will be at the surface level of the laid pathway. Each of these secondary spacing members 33 has, at one end, a rotatable elongated tongue 34 to engage the under surface of the upper flange of one of said side members 2| and, at the other end, a cam device 29, 30 similar to that of a primary spacing member 22. When a transverse partition strip 23 is to be removed, two of these secondary spacing members 33 are arranged closely adjacent to the opposite sides thereof, as shown in Figure 8, the partition strip 23 is withdrawn, said members 33, 33

serving to hold down the concrete, after which said members 33, 33 are unclamped and slidden longitudinally over the surface of the concrete, the direction of movement being such that the rotatable elongated tongue 34 is at the trailing end. This tongue 34 is elongated so that its axis of rotation may be at such a distance from the point at which it grips the flange of the side member 2| as to permit of the required sliding movement. A slight lifting movement may be induced simultaneously if the undersurface of the secondary member 33 be inclined downwardly at,its end, as indicated at 35, Figure 7, beyond the point at which the flange of the side member 2| is gripped, to ride up said flange.

As shown in Figure 7 a secondary spacing member 33 is provided with narrow shouldered parts 33 projecting from its undersurface which become embedded in the laid concrete and engage the webs of the side members 2|, the resultant depressions being filled up subsequently.

Figures 9 and 10 show how side members 2| may be properly aligned, and secured end to end. For this purposeeach has riveted at its one end a fish plate 31 adapted to fit closely within the channel section and projecting from said end, whilst at its other end it has a clamping device in the form of a cam 38 pivotal about a vertical pin 39 to force against its web the fish plate 31 of the adjacent side member 2|.

Figure 11 shows a modification of the means for aligning the side members 2|, wherein the fish plate 31 is tapered slightly at its free end and wedged in tightly behind the pin 39.

Figures 12 to 15 illustrate a flexible side member, for use in the laying of curved pathways, which is constituted by a series of articulated portions devoid of all external projections and each of which is arcuate in plan at its ends, (except in the case of the terminal portions) the one end being convex and the other end concave, and the edges of said ends are bevelled in a complementary manner, as shown at 4!, Figure 13 (horizontal edges) and 42,'Figure 14' (vertical edges). As shown, particularly in Figure 15, the articulated portions are, in the main, of channelsection, corresponding with the cross-sectional configuration of the side members 2!, but they are also formed, within the channel-section, each with an apertured port or guide 43. Through the guides 43 of the articulated sections 40 are threaded three strips 44, 45, 45 of spring steel, the general plane of which is parallel with that of the web of the channel-section. The strips 45, 45 lie freely on each side of the strip 44 for stiffening purposes, but one end of the strip 44 is anchored by rivets 46, 46 which secure the fish plate 31 to the articulated portion 40 at that end, whilst its other end is secured by a pin 41 to the head 48 of an adjusting screw 49 which passes through an aperture in a transverse lug 50 in the articulated portion 40 at that end and is provided with an adjusting nut 5|.

By means of this invention, the laying, with accuracy, of concrete and similar pathways and the like in situ to any line or curve is greatly facilitated.

I claim:

1. Means for use in the laying of concrete and similar pathways and the like in situ comprising primary and secondary spacing members, partition strips separate from said primary and secondary spacing members, and channel section side members, said primary and secondary spacing members being adapted to support and prevent distortion of said partition strips, and said channel section side members, when laid on their sides on the ground with their webs vertical and facing towards one another and in conjunction with said partition strips constituting the sides of a mould in which the concrete is to be cast, each of said primary and secondary spacing members having a shoulder and being disposed on the upper surfaces of said channel-section side members and being provided at one end with a double cam device adapted to act on the edge and on the inner face of one of the flanges of a channel-section side member and to draw a shoulder on the appropriate spacing member into close contact with the web of said channel-section side member and to bring said appropriate spacing member to a predetermined level and position with respect to the channel-section side members with which it is engaged and to secure the locking together of the said channel-section side members and the backing up ofthe separate partition strips to form a rigid frame-like mould entirely free from distortion.

2. Means for use in the laying of concrete and similar pathways and the like in situ comprising primary and secondary spacing members, partition strips separate from said primary and secondary spacing members, and channel section side members, said primary and secondary spacing members being adapted to support and prevent distortion of said partition strips, and said channel section side members, when laid on their sides on the ground with their vvebs vertical and facing towards one another and in conjunction with said partition strips constituting the sides of a mould in which the concrete is to becast, each of said primary and secondary spacing members having .a shoulder and being disposed on the upper surfaces of said channel-secti0n side members and being provided at one end with a double cam device adapted to act on the edge. and on the inner face of one of the flanges of a channel-section side member and to draw a shoulder on the appropriate spacing member into close contact with the web of said channel-section side member and to bring the upper surface of a primary spacing member to the level of the upper surfaces of said side members.

3. Means for use in the laying of concrete and similar pathways and the like in situ comprising primary and secondary spacing members, partition strips separate from said primary and secondary spacing members, and channel-section side members, said primary and secondary spacing members being adapted to support and prevent distortion of said partition strips, and said channel-section side members, when laid on their sides on the ground with their webs vertical and facing towards one another and in conjunction with said partition strips constituting the sides of a mould in which the concrete is to be cast, each of said primary and secondary spacing members having a shoulder and being disposed on the upper surfaces of said channel-section side members and being provided at one end with a double cam device adapted to act on the edge and on the inner face of one of the flanges of a channel-section side member and to draw a shoulder on the appropriate spacing member into close contact with the web of said channel-section side member and to bring the upper surface of a primary spacing member to the level of the upper surfaces of said side members, and to bring the lower surface of a secondary spacing member to the level of the upper surface of the channelsection side members with which it is engaged, and each of said secondary spacing members having at its other end a rotatable elongated tongue adapted to engage one of the flanges of a channel-section side member.

4. Means for use in the laying of concrete and similar pathways and the lik in situ comprising primary and secondary spacing members, partition strips separate from said primary and secondary spacing members, and channel section side members, said primary and secondary spacing members being adapted to support and prevent distortion of said partition strips, and said channel section side members, when laid on their sides on the ground with their webs vertical and facing towards one another and in conjunction with said partition strips constituting the sides of a mould in which the concrete is to be cast, each of said primary and secondary spacing members having a shoulder and being disposed on the upper surfaces of said channel-section side members and being provided at one end with a double cam device adapted to act on the edge and on the inner face of one of theflanges of a chan nel-section side member and to draw a shoulder on the appropriate spacing member into close contact with the web of said channel-section side member and to bring said appropriate spacing member to a predetermined level and position with respect to the channel-section side members with which it is engaged, said side members being constituted each by a series of articulated portions devoid of all external projections and each of said portions being arcuate in plan at its ends (except in the case of the terminal portions), the one end being convex and the other end concave.

5. Means for use in the laying of concrete and similar concrete pathways and the like in situ as claimed in claim 4, wherein the edges of the articulated portions are bevelled thus ensuring mutual support and alignment.

6. Means for use in the laying of concrete and similar pathways and the like in situ as claimed in claim 4 wherein the articulation of the portions is efiected by forming them with suitable guides and threading them on a strip of spring steel secured to the terminal portions of the side member.

7. Means for use in the laying of concrete and similar pathways and the like in situ as claimed in claim 4 wherein the articulation of the portions is effected by forming them with suitable guides and threading them on a strip of spring steel secured to the terminal portions of the side member, the eilective length of said strip of spring steel being changeable to adjust the total length of the form element.

8. Means for use in the laying of concrete and similar pathways and the like in situ as claimed in claim 4 wherein the articulation of the portions is effected by forming them with suitable guides and threading them on a strip of spring steel secured to the terminal portions of the side member, the effective length of said strip of spring steel being changeable to adjust the total length of the form element and being supported at each side by a similar strip lying freely alongside the first mentioned strip.

THOMAS WASS FLORY. 

